Auchentoshan
Encyclopedia
Auchentoshan Distillery is a Single Malt whisky
distillery in the west of Scotland
. The name Auchentoshan is gaelic
and translates as "The corner of the field", the distillery is also known as "Glasgow's Malt Whisky" due to its close proximity to Glasgow
and "the breakfast
whisky" due to its sweet and delicate nature. Auchentoshan is located at the foot of the Kilpatrick
hills on the outskirts of the city near the Erskine Bridge
. It is one of five distilleries in the Scottish Lowlands
along with Bladnoch
, Glenkinchie
and recently Daftmill and Ailsa Bay. The distillery is situated on the outskirts of Clydebank
in Dunbartonshire
.
Unusually for a Scottish distillery, Auchentoshan practices triple distillation. Generally the final stage of Scotch whisky production involves distilling the fermented mash in two copper still
s. In Auchentoshan, a third still known as the "Intermediate Still" helps to gives a final spirit strength of 81% ABV
(162 proof
). This triple distillation, in addition to an unpeated malt, gives Auchentoshan a more delicate and sweet flavour than many Scotch Whiskies. Maturation is mainly in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry butts though some Auchentoshans will mature in French wine casks..
Special bottlings are released periodically, including the oldest, a 50 year old Auchentoshan distilled in 1957 and released in 2008.
The distillery has a visitor centre and conference facilities, both completed in 2005, and is open to the public for tours everyday of the week.
Auchentoshan offerings have performed extraordinarily well at international spirit ratings
competitions. Its 16- and 18- year scotches received double gold medals, for instance, at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Auchentoshan Three Wood won "the best Scotch Whisky and Cigar Combination" in the World when paired with the Bolivar Inmensas.
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
distillery in the west of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The name Auchentoshan is gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
and translates as "The corner of the field", the distillery is also known as "Glasgow's Malt Whisky" due to its close proximity to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and "the breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
whisky" due to its sweet and delicate nature. Auchentoshan is located at the foot of the Kilpatrick
Kilpatrick
Kilpatrick Irish and Scottish surname. The name refers to:Persons:*Ben Kilpatrick , American outlaw in the Old West, member of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch gang...
hills on the outskirts of the city near the Erskine Bridge
Erskine Bridge
The Erskine Bridge is a cable-stayed box girder bridge spanning the River Clyde in west central Scotland, connecting West Dunbartonshire with Renfrewshire....
. It is one of five distilleries in the Scottish Lowlands
Lowland Single Malts
Lowland Single Malts are single malt whiskies distilled in the lowlands of Scotland.The region now only has three currently producing distilleries: Glenkinchie, near Edinburgh; Auchentoshan, near Clydebank; and Bladnoch in Galloway....
along with Bladnoch
Bladnoch Distillery
Bladnoch Distillery is a Single malt Scotch whisky distillery in south west Scotland. It is one of only three remaining Lowland distilleries, and is located at Bladnoch, near Wigtown, Dumfries and Galloway...
, Glenkinchie
Glenkinchie
Glenkinchie is a Scotch single malt whisky, produced at the Glenkinchie Distillery in East Lothian, Scotland. It is one of only three remaining Lowland malt whiskies in production.- The Distillery:...
and recently Daftmill and Ailsa Bay. The distillery is situated on the outskirts of Clydebank
Clydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
in Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
.
Unusually for a Scottish distillery, Auchentoshan practices triple distillation. Generally the final stage of Scotch whisky production involves distilling the fermented mash in two copper still
Still
A still is a permanent apparatus used to distill miscible or immiscible liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor...
s. In Auchentoshan, a third still known as the "Intermediate Still" helps to gives a final spirit strength of 81% ABV
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
(162 proof
Proof (alcohol)
Alcohol proof is a measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage. The term was originally used in the United Kingdom and was defined as 7/4 times the alcohol by volume . The UK now uses the abv standard instead of alcohol proof. In the United States, alcoholic proof is defined...
). This triple distillation, in addition to an unpeated malt, gives Auchentoshan a more delicate and sweet flavour than many Scotch Whiskies. Maturation is mainly in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry butts though some Auchentoshans will mature in French wine casks..
Special bottlings are released periodically, including the oldest, a 50 year old Auchentoshan distilled in 1957 and released in 2008.
The distillery has a visitor centre and conference facilities, both completed in 2005, and is open to the public for tours everyday of the week.
Auchentoshan offerings have performed extraordinarily well at international spirit ratings
Spirit ratings
With a growing number of microdistilleries and an expanding number of offerings from large corporate entities, a number of institutions have arisen to provide professional evaluations of individual spirits...
competitions. Its 16- and 18- year scotches received double gold medals, for instance, at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Auchentoshan Three Wood won "the best Scotch Whisky and Cigar Combination" in the World when paired with the Bolivar Inmensas.
See also
- WhiskyWhiskyWhisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
- Scotch whiskyScotch whiskyScotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
- List of whisky brands
- List of distilleries in Scotland
External links
- Auchentoshan official web site
- Morrison Bowmore Distillers, Limited (distillers of Auchentoshan and other Scotch whiskyScotch whiskyScotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
s)